Rap legend turned Reggae convert, Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dogg) continues to strengthen his relationship with Jamaican culture as he’s set to unveil the pilot episode of a web series exploring the nuances of Dancehall music.
The documentary, Noisey Jamaica was executive produced by Snoop Lion, in collaboration with his label, VICE Music, creators of the Noisey music channel. The 10-part series takes an in-depth look into the culture and concepts embedded within the popular genre and will go behind the scenes with many of Jamaican music’s top names. Each episode will air weekly on Noisey’s YouTube channel.
A trailer for Noisey Jamaica was premiered on Jan. 15, including scenes from various inner cities across the country. In their promo, Noisey Jamaica claims it will explore ‘one of the most misunderstood music scenes of all time.’
The debut episode, set for release on January 22, features incarcerated Dancehall superstar, Vybz Kartel and his impact on Dancehall and Jamaican popular culture while behind bars. Future installments of Noisey Jamaica include features with Kartel’s highly touted protégés, Popcaan and Tommy Lee Sparta as well as a shopping spree with award-winning Dancehall diva, Tifa and a day around the town with 2012 Deejay of the Year contender, Konshens. Other high profile acts such as Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man, I-Octane, Spice and Gaza Slim will also appear on the web series.
Snoop Lion has been travelling to and from Jamaica in the last year as he has undergone a transformation from gangster rapper to Reggae crooner. He continues to promote his highly acclaimed documentary, Reincarnated, which premiered last summer at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and will hit theatres in the near future. The documentary, produced by VICE, looks into Snoop’s journey to Jamaica last year and explores his transition from rap to Reggae.
Two weekends ago, Snoop returned to the island to shoot the visuals for Lighters Up, a track featuring the aforementioned Popcaan and fellow Dancehall megastar, Mavado.
You can visit the official VICE website to learn more about Noisey Jamaica: http://noisey.vice.com/noisey-jamaica/trailer
